Cheap Canoe

Hello Chuck,
I would like to start off by thanking you for Duckworks Magazine. I received much inspiration and encouragement from reading all of the “Projects” postings.

Check out my first boatbuilding effort, a Bateau 14ft “cheap canoe” from the free plans on the bateau.com website.

Not bad for a first effort is it? I spent over a year in a combined state of procrastination and analysis-paralysis reading and reviewing designs from myriad designers including Payson/Bolger, Arch Davis, Gator Boats, Simplicityboats.com (David Beede), and Jim Michalak. I was looking for a boat that was cartopable, did not need an engine, and most importantly, be easy to build. When I looked over the cheap canoe plans from Bateau, I knew that even I could put it together! Not only was the cheap canoe easy to build, it flat out performs! I’ve had some experience paddling conventional canoes like Coleman and Old Town and the cheap canoe paddles easier and tracks much better. The cheap canoe’s dimensions are closer to a kayak than a canoe. If anyone were considering building the cheap canoe, I would recommend that they build Bateau’s 16ft version listed as the 16ft nice canoe on their site. The plans are a modest $10 and if they are as detailed and easy to follow as the 14ft cheap canoe plans, it’s well worth it.

More pictures and construction commentary at https://www.geocities.com/staceyjstrickland/slider

Again, thanks for Duckworks!
Stacey Strickland,
Wespanee Place Court
Charleston, SC 29407
https://www.geocities.com/staceyjstrickland/index